How to Opt Out of Junk Mail and Cut Down on Clutter

Tired of your mailbox getting stuffed with unwanted catalogs and credit card applications every day? Opt out of junk mail to cut down on this clutter.

If there’s one surefire, fail-safe, must-do secret to keeping your apartment clean, it’s this: Cut out the clutter. Unnecessary knick-knacks, piles of magazines, and clothes you don’t wear anymore only add to the general eau de slob around your place, and nobody wants that. So what can you do to keep the clutter under control? The first step is to minimize the amount of stuff that comes into your place every day. And one of the biggest sources of clutter is junk mail. Chances are your mailbox is filled daily with unwanted catalogs, credit card applications and all sorts of other junk that might sit around your desk or coffee table for months to come. Even worse, you might lose track of something important – like a bill – with all that other stuff to wade through every day. So what’s the solution? Nip it in the bud. Opt out of junk mail so you don’t get all that unnecessary paper every day. Your apartment will be cleaner and your life will be a little simpler. Here are four websites that’ll help you do it.

1. Catalog Choice This non-profit website streamlines the opt-out process so you don’t have to contact companies individually. Just create a free account and Catalog Choice (also known as TrustedID) does the work for you – all you have to do is log in, search for the company that keeps sending you junk mail, and submit the opt-out. It works for unwanted phone books, too. 2.DMA Choice You’d think the Direct Marketing Association, a trade group for organizations that send direct mail, would want you to get as much mail as possible. But DMA Choice believes direct mail works best when consumers have a healthy relationship with marketers, meaning you should be able to opt out of the mail you don’t want so the mail you do get is beneficial to you. All you have to do is keep track of what companies are sending you junk mail over a few weeks, then log in to DMA Choice and set your preferences so you’re eliminated from that company’s mailing list. You can change your preferences anytime your needs or wants change.
2. OptOutPrescreen Most of the junk mail you receive is probably credit card or insurance policy advertisements. Credit reporting companies such as Equifax and TransUnion are required by law to give you the option to protect your information from being shared with marketers. Through OptOutPrescreen, you can choose to stop receiving junk mail for five years or permanently. You can also choose start receiving credit card and insurance policy offers again if you’ve previously opted out.
3. National Do Not Mail List This is another association of direct-mail marketers that know the benefit in sending ads only to people who want them. Just log on to this site and put your information in the form on the right side of the page, then choose your mail preferences. Have you opted out of junk mail yet? Which service will you use? Tell us your experience on Facebook